In blue-white feathers a bird adorned
I saw from my bed this early morn
Against the sky, as he shrieked by
'do you know what he says? ' to my wife I sigh
'He's calling 'thief! ', in that raucous voice! '
My wife asks - ''Thief'? Is that by choice?
or in other countries does he utter
not in English, but another? '
'Hmm.. Blue Jays, I think, are an American bird -
at least as far as I have heard.
But what the heck -
there IS Quebec.
There it should be a different word
Where, it could be, that they shout 'Merde! ''
(If anyone knows what the French/Canadian version of this birdcall is, I'd love to know. For example, I hear that in Canada the White-throated Sparrow's song, is 'O sweet Canada Canada Canada' whereas in New England it's 'Old Sam Peabody Peabody Peabody')
Chuck Audette
http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/long-distance-bird-calls/
